I was just wondering what your thoughts are on which are the best books to read on racing and tuning? I am particularly interested in books on racing as I seem to make one bad decision after another out on the race course, and I would really like to start all over again with the basics.

Welcome To A Fleet Tactics, a little dated but all still very relevant and written in a very simple understandable way.Also Hobie 16, 14 specific.The Welcome to A Fleet Tunning is a little more dated.Tunning is over rated get the boat set up similar to any fast guy and get a good start,go the right way.A lot of the Monohull books like Advanced Small Boat Tactics (by Stuart Walker) are way too complicated.The North Racing booklet ,(comes with the course ) is also highly recommended.This article here is probably the best one I have seen written Specifically for starting a Hobie 16 Race (especially in a big fleet)

I cannot stress enough the importance of starting. It sets the foundation for yourperformance. Good starts make good races a lot easier.• You do not need to win races to be a world champion. Consistent 3rd and 4th heatplacing will often suffice and making decisions that get you into 3rd and 4th areinfinitely easier and less risky than thinking you need to win heats. If you can beconsistent in your results you can afford to take more/ less risk as the event unfoldsand the need arises.• Understanding the above makes you realise you need consistent starts BUT you donot need to win the starts. The objective is to hold a lane and tack on your terms,crossing everyone to the windward side of you prior to anyone crossing you from theleft. If you can do this consistently you will be a player at the international level. Iusually measure a good start in Hobies by the lane you manage to obtain on PORTtack.• You cannot tack your way out of trouble on a H16 like you can in other classes sostarting is even more important.• The further you start towards the pin, the more boats you need to cross prior toreaching the layline and the layline will be reached sooner. Hence there has to be areally good reason for being at the pin, especially on a short course like Sat.Furthermore if you make a mess of a pin start there are way more sterns to duck bytacking out than mucking up a boat end start and tacking out. On the weekend I didnot see anyone succeed by mucking up the pin. On the other hand Jeremy andBridget had a poor boat end start, tacked clear and lead at the top mark. I am notsaying start towards the boat, I am saying the further you start down the line the moreyou must get it right and cross before the layline.• Starting at the pin often means you are going left. Starting at the boat does notalways mean you are going right up the beat. A really good plan is to start at the boaton an even line and hold the fleet left towards the layline. Remember no one wants totack and duck so they usually wait for boats on the windward side to tack first. If awindward boat can hold the fleet to the layline they are winning the race withouthaving to make a decision or take a risk. Taylor did a good job of this on theweekend.• If a start is biased to the pin the line is often hard to cross on starboard tack and youneed to get quite close to the line at 15 seconds to go. If you are 1 boat length behindthe line it can sometimes require you to sail 3 boatlengths to reach the line meaningyou must pull the trigger and go earlier than you think.• If a start line is biased to the boat end you will converge with the line quickly if yousheet on. Try and do nothing that makes the boats around you approach the line tooquickly as once you arrive at the line early your only option is to reach and this isfraught with danger.• The boats around you are your friends not your enemies. Work together to ensureyou all have a chance. Start assertively not aggressively if you want to be consistent.Back your speed training and remember you have the whole race to burn these guysoff.• Try and deal with the boat BELOW you prior to the boat above you when coming offthe line. If you pinch early to squeeze someone off then you are sailing slower thanothers somewhere else on the line. If you can blast over the boat below quickly yourlane becomes a lot wider, you launch into the lead pack in the race and you can thencommence climbing into the boats above. This is plan A. Plan B is high mode off theline, usually required when a boat below has its bow out in front, you are knocking orwanting to tack early.• Avoid approaching the line from above the layline to the start boat (barging). It is adangerous practice. Do not travel far from the line ever in case there is a late windshift or velocity change. Sail along the boat layline on port and tack ahead of theapproaching pack well under the line, allow front row to form around you and moveinto the line with front row. Blasting ahead of front row only makes everyone else rushin and more often than not you end up starting in high density as front row finallyreaches you.• Recognise the importance and practice building speed close hauled rather thanreaching. Occasionally reaching down the line works but the opportunity to do so istoo infrequent to be a regatta winning plan. Starting in amongst boats requires you tobe able to sheet on and go close hauled. Remember H16’s lose a lot of speed turningso any speed gained from reaching is lost in turning up plus reaching closes the gapbelow you very quickly. I am not a fan of line reaching unless you are in a huge holein the line.• Make sure the crew clearly calls the time to start. Do not have skippers looking atwatches. This will cause a stall or you will miss an opportunity. I recommend every 20seconds from 4 mins to 2 mins, every 10 seconds from 2 mins to 1 min, every 5seconds 1 min till 30 seconds and every second for the final 30.• Remember there is little point in practicing anything else in sailing until you havemastered the ability to come off the line, go left in a clear lane and tack on your terms.• Position of first tack in a Hobie race has a big influence in race outcome.Good luck with your winter sailing,Traks

Probably already know this but you can be Book Smart and still not be a great sailor (alright if you spend all your time at the bar B.S.ing)You really have to make an effort to practice.Very few sailors (Olympians excluded) really make the time and effort to practice all the little things ,that make a big difference.

Most of my 'learning' came from Higher Performance Sailing by Dr Frank Bethwaite, now in its 2nd edition. Yes, this is the guy who 'invented' the 49'er and later the 29'er....All three of his kids are National or International prize winning sailors in small craft. Best known is Graham, who has done more to 'grow' sailing, especially amongst TV executives. Google 18 Skiffs....and you'll see. Try this link....

This is a serious history of 18 Skiff racing, complete with aerodynamic explanations and charts. At the end of 900+ pages, I really had a better 'feel' for what apparent wind is and how one can make use of it to go FAST.

The rest I learned like all of us do, by spending time on the water, and doing as many races as possible. And by buying beers afterwards and soaking up knowledge, and I am still learning. Good luck.

_________________1989 Hobie SX18 Sail # 1947 "In Theory..."'Only two things are infinite, the universe, and human stupidity. But I'm not sure about the former.'

Rick White's book is great, so is his DVD....The first time I viewed it, I looked at the 'tacking' section 18 times in a row to 'see' what they were doing, it was sooooooo smooth. I learnt from that DVD.

_________________1989 Hobie SX18 Sail # 1947 "In Theory..."'Only two things are infinite, the universe, and human stupidity. But I'm not sure about the former.'